In the manufacture of textile filaments of yarns from meltspun polymers, especially for the finer textile deniers, it is useful to wind a number of separate packages or rolls of filaments simultaneously from the same polymer extrusion source. Aside from an increase in the rate of production of textile filaments, the increased polymer usage aids in controlling the time a polymer is at high temperature spinning conditions.
For substantially the same reason, spinnerettes, or spinning orifices for spinning polymer into conditions where it forms filaments, are grouped closely together. It follows that winding of the separate groups of filaments will be done in a compact manner. Often, the same winding rotor will be used to wind a number of "packages" of yarn simultaneously--"in-line", so to speak.
In high speed spinning, particularly at speeds above 2500 meters per minute, "threading in" of two or more filament packages creates conditions which can be difficult. "Threading" is the process of capturing yarn from a spinnerette and directing it through processing conditions ultimately ending in placing the filaments on a winding arbor for takeup into package form. Threading is simplified somewhat by use of at least one and usually two means for taking yarn to a waste collection device--aspirators. One waste aspirator is usually mounted on the machine; another is mounted at the end of a flexible tube. Individual ends of textile filaments or yarn are extruded through the spinnerettes and brought down to the machine aspirator and sent to waste until all ends associated with a particular winding arbor or rotor are spinning satisfactorily. Depending upon the winding process, one or more intermediate godets or rolls may be involved, but the type of process is not relevant to this invention.
Where all ends have been "spun in" satisfactorily, the winding arbor is brought to speed. Individual ends are brought from the machine aspirator via the tube aspirator "gun" to a winding position on the arbor, the spinning end is transferred to the rotating arbor and begins the formation of a package. Obviously, all ends being spun simultaneously, the ends have to be strung quickly and efficiently, else substantial material will be lost. It is not unusual for just the slightest movement or drag against the filaments moving so closely together to cause them to intermingle with adjacent filaments and create yarn breaks or loose ends or both. Historically, at least two operators have been necessary during threading to keep the ends separated and to properly wind them within the short term allotted to startup. This invention eliminates the need for more than one operator and simplifies separation of the yarns during startup to avoid yarn breaks or loose ends.